


Protector

by atonalremix



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-20 15:02:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3654735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atonalremix/pseuds/atonalremix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Spoilers for S6). Tyler regrets the choices he made, particularly when it concerns people - like Bonnie - he had (chosen not) to protect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [Tyler Stan Club](http://tylerstanclub.tumblr.com) as part of their "Tyler Stan Club Prompt of the Month" challenge! This month's theme was "Protection," and the whole time, I couldn't stop thinking about the people he *didn't* protect throughout the series - and how he must've (or might've) thought about it. 
> 
> Beyond that, I hope you enjoy this fic!

The first day of summer vacation, Elena had asked him to help her and Caroline pack up their dorm room.

("After all, you're still living in the frat house," Elena had teased over the phone, as she also casually assaulted him with ill-timed Snapchat photos - with her room growing progressively messier in each one. "You've got nothing to do, so come on!")

He must've been a sadist. He had to have been, because he couldn't lift heavy boxes like before. (Damn his old human strength.) He couldn't pack Bonnie's things into neat little boxes, because his hands shook and his shoulders sagged with all the might of the world as he stared down at her plethora of dresses and old witchcraft books. God, they were even in a state of disarray, piles upon piles scattered across her bedspread, as if one of their pages had the answers to her unfruitful pleas. Whitmore regulations insisted on them clearing out by the end of the day, but something didn't feel right about moving her stuff. Bonnie's books were something sacred, and he couldn't force himself to restore order to her organized chaos.

"Tyler?" Stefan called, pulling a book from the pile and indirectly jolting Tyler back to reality.

His hand tightly clenched one of her volumes. He couldn't freeze up now. Not here, not now, and especially not when he had been a dumbass and prioritized Liv over someone who should've meant so much more to him. They were both in danger then. Tyler knew that. Logically, he knew that, but his heart rate was still rising and--- And he was an idiot if he really thought Stefan had missed those visual cues. Stefan just had to stare at him with those dumb, sad puppy dog eyes, as if one sympathetic expression were enough to open Tyler's soul.

They had never been friends. Not when Stefan first waltzed into town, and certainly not now, when the gulf between them was wider than the Grand Canyon.

Stefan hesitated, stopping at the edge of the stairs and turning to face him. "Hey, Tyler--"

"Forget it." Tyler scoffed, grabbing one of Stefan's boxes and taking it towards Elena's SUV. "You're probably hurting more than me."

Stefan furrowed his brow, catching up to Tyler with that unnatural (and ungodly) vampire speed that practically defined him. "Doesn't mean you can't talk about her."

"What if I don't want to?" His voice had come off harsher than he intended - must have, because Stefan winced sympathetically. So Tyler amended, "I mean, I'm fine."

Stefan shrugged, opening the car trunk so they could maneuver the boxes in. Why _they_ were doing all the heavy lifting when their friends were more than capable of holding their own, Tyler would never understand.

Just when Tyler thought he could break free from those sad, prying eyes, Stefan said, "We're all to blame, I think. We should've known, and tried and..."

And they should've actively protected her, just like she protected them every single damn time.

Tyler stuffed his hands in his pockets as he followed Stefan back up. "Yeah, but trying's not gonna bring her back."

Jeremy had already retreated into a cocoon of his former self, even with Alaric's revival. Last Tyler saw of his roommate, Jeremy had cashed in a check from work to buy the latest _Kingdom Hearts_ game. Or was it one of those first-person shooters? Tyler had long since lost track of the guy's habits.

Stefan's expression darkened as he held the door open. This, Tyler should've guessed, was the end of the conversation.

 

 

 

 

Once everything was all loaded up and ready to go, Stefan and Caroline took one of the cars back to the edge of Mystic Falls, where Sheriff Forbes and Matt would take over. The other car, with Tyler and Elena, would head to Alaric's new place closer to Whitmore.

As they moved the boxes into what would become her room, Tyler couldn't help wondering about the divergent paths they'd all taken. Caroline wanted to retreat home, but even she couldn't step within the boundaries of their beloved hometown.

Once the last box was set down, Elena hugged him warmly, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much."

"It was nothing." He returned the embrace, placing his hands around the small of her back. A few months ago, he could've pinpointed her intoxicating floral scent (and the hint of death that had accompanied her). Now, he couldn't even tell the florals apart - they just blended together in a pleasing scent that was uniquely Elena.

Pulling back reluctantly, he tilted his head at her. "So uh, what was that about? This whole wanting me to hang out with you thing?"

She shrugged. "Do I need a reason?"

Usually, yeah. He wouldn't say it out loud, but they'd drifted apart during their tumultuous high school years. Rare were the days when she wanted - genuinely wanted - to see him, rather than ask him for a favor or three. Maybe Damon's death (and Stefan's subsequent disappearing act) had woken up some long-dormant desire to rekindle their friendship.

He doubted that. Ever since Elena had transitioned into a vampire, some of her more... unpleasant aspects had dramatically risen to the surface. Some of it, Tyler could ignore. Others would no doubt end in a screaming match (and not a physical one since he'd lost the ability to fight back).

When he didn't reply, her expression grew somber. "O-oh. I just... I missed you."

She actually missed him.

"You _dork_ ," Tyler managed to say, once the shock had subsided. "If you missed me, you could've just said so. I'm only one call or text away."

"Well, here I am, saying it now." She smiled at him triumphantly. "Someone's gotta be your big bad protector over the summer, right? I heard about you and the football team - and you know about those hazing rituals, Ty."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Please tell me you're not serious."

"What? I totally am!" She mock gasped, putting a hand to her heart. "Someone's gotta make sure that you don't become their water boy, and if Care's gonna be with her mom, and Jeremy's doing who-knows-what, and Matt's got extra shifts..."

He balled his hand into a fist, resisting the urge to elbow her there and then on the spot. "You're not gonna protect me. That's my job, remember?"

Besides, what was she going to protect him from? Dumb jocks who thought they were better than him? That, he could handle. Funny how after dealing with so much supernatural drama, the little things in life seemed far less complicated to handle.

She scrunched up her whole face at him. "Will too. Just wait and see."

"Sounds like I'll be doing a whole lot of waiting."

So he hadn't been able to protect Bonnie (or rather, he had failed to protect her entirely this lifetime). Maybe he could pick up the slack this summer and protect his old friend, if only for a few months.

(Sure, Stefan was probably going to stick around, but who wants their ex to comfort them through something like this?)

Elena nearly swatted him; he side-stepped to dodge her blows.

They heard a chuckle from the doorway. Tyler stepped back, just in time to allow Alaric inside. He smiled genially at Tyler, then turning his attention towards Elena.

"Hey, I got dinner from the blood--"

"Ookay, I think that's my cue." Tyler laughed, grabbing Elena's car key. "Hey, Elena? Mind giving me a ride back?"

"Easily." She grabbed her keys from him. "Thanks Ric, but I think I'll take a raincheck tonight."

As they left, under the light of the bright half-moon, Tyler felt some of the weight leaving his shoulders. This wasn't exactly the life he had pictured (or wanted), but it wasn't the worst one he could imagine either.


End file.
